National holiday:
National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
28 September 1958, amended concerning election of president in 1962,
amended to comply with provisions of EC Maastricht Treaty in 1992; amended
to tighten immigration laws 1993

Legal system:
civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not
legislative acts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
head of government:
Prime Minister Lionel JOSPIN (since 3 June 1997)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the suggestion of the
prime minister
elections:
president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held
23 April and 7 May 1995 (next to be held by May 2002); prime minister
nominated by the National Assembly majority and appointed by the president
election results:
Jacques CHIRAC elected president; percent of vote, second ballotJacques
CHIRAC 52.64%, Lionel JOSPIN 47.36%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (321
seats296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseas departments and
territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members are indirectly
elected by an electoral college to serve nine-year terms; elected by thirds
every three years) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577
seats; members are elected by popular vote under a single-member
majoritarian system to serve five-year terms)
elections:
Senatelast held 27 September 1998 (next to be held September 2001);
National Assemblylast held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA May
2002)
election results:
Senatepercent of vote by partyNA; seats by partyRPR 99, Centrist
Union 52, Republicans and independents 47, PS 78, PCF 16, other 29;
National Assemblypercent of vote by partyNA; seats by partyPS 245,
RPR 140, UDF 109, PCF 37, PRS 13, Ecologists 8, MDC 7, LDI-MPF 1, FN 1,
various left 9, various right 7

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation, judges are appointed by the
president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary;
Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel, three members appointed
by the president, three members appointed by the president of the National
Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the Senate; Council of
State or Conseil d'Etat

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as
the French Tricouleur (Tricolor); the design and colors are similar to a
number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote
d'Ivoire, and Luxembourg; the official flag for all French dependent areas